This invention relates to an adapter for liquid dispensers. More particularly, this invention relates to a universal adapter which can easily mount to and dismount from a large variety of liquid dispensers. The adapter allows the dispenser on which it is mounted to accept a variety of liquid containers, regardless of the closure on the container.
Liquid dispensers, particularly water coolers, are well known in the art. These dispensers accept a container of liquid which is first inverted and then placed into the dispenser. The liquid empties from the container into a reservoir in the dispenser, from which it is dispensed. A wide variety of liquid dispensers currently exist. For example, porcelain crock dispensers are available which are supported on a stand. These dispensers do not cool nor warm the liquid. Free standing dispensers are also available. The free standing dispensers have means for cooling and/or heating the liquid. Thus dispensers are available which dispense hot liquid, liquid at room temperature, or cold liquid, or some combination of these. Examples of free-standing liquid dispensers currently on the market are: the KELJAC ROOM-TEMPERATURE dispenser; the CORDLEY H. V. dispenser; the CORDLEY dispenser; the SUNROC dispenser; the NEW EBCO dispenser; and the EBCO dispenser.
Liquid containers which are used with the dispensers generally come in 3, 5, or 6 gallon sizes. The containers use basically one of two types of closures, either non-resealable or resealable. Non-resealable closures require the seal on the container to be broken prior to the container being inverted and placed into the dispenser.
The second type of closure is a resealable closure. These closures allow a container to be loaded and unloaded into the dispenser without liquid escaping from the container. This is because the container remains sealed when it is inverted and placed onto the dispenser with the closure sealed. The seal is broken through the use of a probe which sits in the reservoir of the dispenser. The probe fits into the closure, engages and breaks the seal. Liquid is dispensed into the reservoir through apertures in the probe. When the container is unloaded from the dispenser the closure disengages from the probe and reseals the container so that the container is sealed upon removal.
Not all liquid dispensers can accept the containers with the resealable closures because many dispensers are not equipped with a probe which will engage with the closure.
Two adapters, the Ebtech Waterguard System, and the Elkay Watersafe System are available which mount onto some existing dispensers to allow them to accept resealable containers. These systems include a probe which, when properly installed, fits into the reservoir of the dispenser and allows the dispenser to accept resealable liquid containers. However, these systems cannot be mounted onto a number of liquid dispensers. Thus a need exists for a universal adapter which is capable of mounting onto a large variety of dispensers currently on the market.
To insure the quality of the fluid being dispensed from a fluid dispenser, both the adapter and the dispenser should be cleaned periodically. In particular the reservoir which receives the liquid from the inverted container must be kept clean. This may be done by the user or by the company which provides the dispenser. Also, from time to time, the user may have the dispenser cleaned and refurbished for aesthetic purposes. In both instances it is necessary to have access to the reservoir of the dispenser. Since the adapter fits into the reservoir of the dispenser it is necessary that the adapter be easily removable so that the adapter and the dispenser may be cleaned, and the dispenser refurbished.
The Waterguard and Watersafe systems use a rubber gasket to secure the adapter in the dispenser. However, there is no way to release the tension on the gasket so as to allow the adapter to be removed from the system. Thus these adapters cannot be easily removed from the dispenser to allow for cleaning and refurbishing. Often times removal of these adapters causes damage to the dispenser.
Thus a need exists for a product which can easily be mounted onto a wide variety of existing dispensers to allow them to accept both re-sealable and non-resealable containers, and which is easily removable from the dispensers so that they may be easily cleaned and refurbished without doing damage to the dispensers.